Chris-Craft’s Launch 31 GT is probably the finest-crafted American boat in class. Her fiberglass compound curves, reverse sheer, tumblehome and other design elements that make her so pleasing to the eye often require molds within molds. Overall, she is a work of fine sculpture. Curved lines and mahogany accents harken back to the company’s gleaming wooden boats. She must be seen to be appreciated. To request a test by Capt. Steve, click here. To see our report, click here...

The Palm Beach 55 is an evolved Downeast-style yacht. Her lines have been subtly rounded off and smoothed into elegant shapes. Gone are the straight edges and boxy look that harken back to the lobster boats that inspired the genre. Her mid-engine location contributes to superior performance and handling. Her deadrise is 8 degrees at the transom compared to 16 or more for many boats in class. This translates into improved efficiency, fuel economy and stability. The 55 is also lighter than the competition because of her vacuum-infused laminates reinforced with carbon fiber. More...  

Italian manufacturer Sessa Marine has a teaser video of its upcoming model, the FSX. She’s a modern-looking flying bridge yacht with a large upper deck protected by a hardtop. Her stern garage is designed to hold a Williams jet tender, a dive scooter and SCUBA tanks. We hope you enjoy the stirring video as much as we did. More...  

Cruisers Yachts offers the 38 GLS in sterndrive and outboard-powered versions. We tested her with triple 300-hp Mercury Verados, the base package and found them to be plenty potent. She can be powered by up to triple 400-hp Verados, but the lower-rated engines could be the better pairing because of engine design. The 300-hp engine is based on a naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V8 while the 400 is a supercharged 2.6-liter inline 6. The bottom-end torque that comes with the V8s showed itself by putting our test boat on plane in just 5.4 seconds. She hit a top speed of 51.9 mph at 6000 rpm. More...  

Powered by twin 300-hp Mercury outboards, the Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 has good handling characteristics and a solid feel. Her sharp entry slices cleanly through waves and boat wakes. The engines are mounted a full foot (30.48 cm) abaft the transom so when getting on plane, a captain will want to wait until she builds some speed before bringing up the engine trim. She planed in just 4.9 seconds and just as important, she can stay on plane down to 11.5 mph. More...  

The Performance Vent System, designed and patented by Mercury Marine, is a management system of the exhaust gases that exit from the propeller's hub. It lets a user control the venting of the propeller blades to optimize the acceleration for quick planing. More...  

After the main engine, the most expensive single piece of equipment on a boat can be the generator. A generator can log two or three times as many hours as the main engine(s), so choosing the right one is important. A boat owner wants a generator that’s reliable, quiet, offers longevity and is CO safe. He/she also wants a company with a help desk that actually answers the phone. In the aftermarket, boat dealers or yards will want to sell you the brand that they carry. Some brands are famous for underwhelming customer service, others are five-star. More...  

Because heavy boats are difficult to get on plane and stay there, horsepower must be harnessed with the proper gear ratios and prop geometry to get the job done. More...  

Most experienced boaters learned about docking using good old fashioned trial and error. Most of us have heard the old adage, “Never approach a dock faster than you’re willing to hit it.” This is a good starting point for new boaters who want to learn how to dock with confidence. There are five more tips worth taking aboard as well. More...  

By keeping a boat’s steering system in proper working order, an owner can ensure that he/she has reliable and proper control of a boat at all times. Lack of maintenance is the major contributor to stiff steering and in some extreme cases, cable seizure. We suggest the following periodic maintenance at least twice a year. More...  

The Everglades 235CC is powered by a 300-hp Yamaha with digital steering and trim tabs. She'll run 40 mph comfortably across chop. A livewell, fold-down stern seating and a portable ice chest are some of the features. The helm has a chartplotter with GPS and a depth sounder. All of this helps make this setup an affordable boating option. Contact Greg Sweeney at 727-200-3474 or by email.